Premove or Promove !

It's mid April already and June is not far away. Like many other graduating students I am looking forward to June 2014. I look forward to June every year since its the month in which my birthday falls. But this year June is very special because I graduate from my pediatric residency. I finish 3 years of rigorous training and emerge as a pediatrician, ready to step into  " the real world " as my attendings call it.

June every year brings with it lots of surprises and some gifts. My parents send me a birthday gift every single year no matter what . This year my parents are visiting me in USA currently and I have already received my birthday gift... a beautiful necklace from India. Since the surprise element for June is over its time to have some action in June. I will be moving within Georgia, about a 100 miles to the northern part of the state from where I am currently . 

This means I have to pack , pack and pack my entire apartment and move it from one location to another. Like I said earlier I have received my birthday gift in advance and now I have decided to move few of my belongings in advance. Over the weekend I moved few big pieces of furniture, namely my sofa and mattress . Though it was " few" ( few = 3 ) pieces I knew I would have to pay the "big" price. Every single quote from local moving companies was way too expensive for just 3 pieces.  Finally I started looking up on Craigslist. I admit I was very skeptical and after talking to few of the people listed on Craigslist I had almost given up hope. However with the last phone call I decided to make I found one person to help me move ( lets call him  Mr.Z )

Mr.Z sounded ok on the phone and stated a low, unbeatable price. I decided to use his services still skeptical though. Now that it was less money I had doubts about it too. I was worried as to why is he charging so less? why did he not ask for a higher price and then negotiate to a lower one ?  On the day of the move he showed up a little over an hour late. My fear was intensified and doubts seem to just multiply. What if he runs away with the furniture? What if he just disappears on the interstate and never shows up at the final destination ? His truck seemed to be in not very good condition and I started taping the bottom of the truck and trailer with some plastic sheets so my furniture will stay clean. 

After all the loading we set on the journey . I drove ahead of him in my own car to reach my final destination beforehand and my husband decided to follow Mr .Z in another car. On my way I called my husband many times to check on him and also Mr.Z of course and our furniture. 

The moving went well. The furniture was at our new apartment in immaculate condition, no damage, no scratches. Mr.Z and his helper moved the heavy furniture in the scorching heat.They were sweating and panting every time they climbed up and down three flight of stairs with or without the furniture. My husband paid Mr.Z  his asking price and a generous tip for which he thanked us over and over again.

I was relieved. I was happy that everything went so smoothly. My furniture was in pristine condition and seemed to fit perfectly in my new living room. A little later while I was rejoicing about how things went well I heard a knock on the door. When I saw Mr.Z  at the doorstep I was thinking " Now what? Why is he back? Does he want more money?'" Just as my mind was flooded with worries Mr. Z handed back all the plastic sheets I had put in his truck and trailer. He also apologized for not bringing them upstairs with the furniture and left.

I stood there with the plastic sheets in my hand. I was ashamed. I had made assumptions, all wrong. I had judged Mr.Z all this time, right from when I first spoke to him over the phone till the time he loaded and unloaded the furniture from one destination to another. I had judged his clothes, his looks and his manners. However I had judged him wrong. I had overlooked his hard work and his honesty. I had overlooked his diligence and commitment to the work. I felt guilty and ashamed.


                              " Be curious, not judgemental " - Walt Whitman